Toilet stools typically have universally accepted components for mounting the same on a floor surface. The toilet stool has a horizontal base with a perimeter portion to rest on and engage the floor surface. A recess opening appears on the underside thereof within the perimeter portion. A floor ring is fitted within the recess opening and has a center opening, and a perimeter floor engaging horizontal flange. The center opening is in communication with the downwardly extending sewer pipe.
A pair of oppositely disposed slots are typically formed in the flange and comprise a wide portion terminating in an elongated narrow portion. The slots extend vertically through the flange. The narrow portion of the slot has lower edges terminating in a groove extending along the edges. The groove has a width greater than the narrow portion of the slot.
Conventionally, a bolt which has upper and lower ends with the lower end having a planar head is mounted within the narrow portion of the slot with the planar head on the lower end thereof positioned in the aforementioned groove. The planar head on the bolt has a width similar to that of the narrow portion of the slot, and a longitudinal length greater than the width of the narrow portion. The longitudinal length of the head has a center axis which is typically positioned by turning the bolt so that the center axis extends across the width of the narrow portion of the slot.
The problem with this conventional structure is that when the installer places a nut on the upper end of the bolt to tighten the nut against the base of the toilet stool, the perimeter portion of the stool hides the position of the head of the bolt from the installer. Thus, if the center axis of the planar head of the bolt is aligned with the narrow portion of the slot, the tightening of a nut on the upper end of the bolt will merely pull the head of the bolt through the width of the narrow portion of the slot.
The head of the bolt is inserted into a slotted opening in the floor flange. The proper position is obtained by sliding the bolt along the slot. The problem with this conventional method is that once the bolts are in position there are no means, or inadequate means, of holding the bolts in a secure position. Since it is very difficult for the installer to see both bolts at the same time, the bolts can be accidentally knocked out of position when lowering the toilet stool onto the bolts.
A further problem exists with most conventional bolt caps that cover the exposed portion of the toilet bolts. In many cases the caps are not watertight and can be accidentally knocked off.
A further problem in mounting toilets is in handling the bolts, screw and fastening devices where objects are joined together it is difficult because of location or space or the design of the objects to physically or mechanically hold one part of the fastening device in a secure position necessary to place or mount objects together while applying the other or second part of the fastening device.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an indicia mark on the upper end of the bolt which is in alignment with the center axis of the longitudinal length of the planar head so that the installer, by observing the indicia marks on the upper end of the bolt, can turn the bolt and be assured that the center axis of the head is transverse of the narrow portion of the slot.
A further object of this invention is to provide a more efficient and inexpensive toilet bolt and toilet bolt cap that will save wasted time and loss of materials.
The principal object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive way of securing parts of a fastening device used in the application of joining objects together or mounting objects.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
A mounting bolt for use in mounting toilet stools has upper and lower ends with an elongated threaded shank therebetween. An elongated planar head is on the lower end of the bolt and has a width similar to the diameter of the shank, and a longitudinal length larger than the diameter of the shank. The head has a center axis extending along its length. An indicia mark is on the upper end of the bolt visually indicating the position of the center axis to assist the placement and tightening of a threaded nut on the upper end when the position of the head is concealed when the nut is being threadably mounted on the upper end of the bolt.
A push-on threaded ring makes a tight connection between the bolt head and the floor flange. The ring is of a suitable diameter and is constructed of a flexible material with the center or hub section thicker in depth allowing for a threaded opening to be placed in the center. The outer edge of the push-on retaining ring is provided with raised point or knobs to facilitate turning. Therefore the push-on retaining ring, being flexible, can be easily pushed on to the fastening device and then turned with the help of the raised points or knobs. The internal threads in the center or hub of the ring allow it to be tightened in order to hold the fastening device in the proper position.
A threaded (female) opening in the center of the cap, and a seal ring is in the base of the cap, allowing the cap to be threaded onto the top section of the toilet bolt, making the cap watertight and secure, therefore preventing it from being accidentally knocked off and eliminating the problem from water rusting or corroding the bolt, nut and washer.
The method comprises aligning the indicia mark in a direction transverse of the narrow portion of an elongated slot in a floor ring so as to enable the installer to simultaneously position the long dimension of the planar head in a transverse direction with respect to the narrow portion of the slot to permit the head from pulling through the slot when a tightening bolt on the upper end of the bolt is used to tighten the base of the toilet stool to the floor ring.